Pulling the Plug

Have you seen the George Clooney movie “The Descendants?” George’s wife is in a coma after a boating accident. There is a poignant scene where the family reviews her Living Will document. The family relies upon that document to “pull the plug.”

Living Wills

Living Wills include written, legal instructions that state the treatment you want for medical conditions when you’re unable to make decisions for yourself. Living Wills specifically focus on the choice between continuing heroic measures to keep a person alive or allowing someone to pass more naturally. Often, Living Wills are incorporated into an Advance Directive.

Advance Directives

Advance Directives guide choices for healthcare professionals and caregivers more generally. For example, a medical team may use Advance Directives when you’re unable to talk and are terminally ill, seriously injured, in the late stages of dementia or near the end of life.

Advance Directives aren’t only for older adults. As was the case in The Descendants, anyone at any age can have unexpected accidents, illnesses or end-of-life situations happen. So it’s important for all adults to prepare these papers.

Jewish Law

For my observant or traditional Jewish clients, the Living Will document presents problems under Jewish Law. The approach to end of life treatment begins with the sanctity of human life as a central tenet of Jewish Law. For example, once feeding tubes or artificial hydration is administered, Jewish law has been interpreted so that tubes cannot be removed if death would be imminent. The path chosen in the movie “The Descendants” is decidedly not according to Jewish law.

Jewish law also values patient autonomy and alleviating suffering. These are worthy topics of conversation for clients as potential patients, with their doctors, lawyers and rabbi!

Conclusion

By planning ahead and executing the proper documents, you can get the medical care you want and avoid unnecessary suffering. You also can relieve caregivers of decision-making burdens during times of crisis or grief. And you help lessen confusion or disagreement about the choices you would want people to make on your behalf.

Evan J. Krame, Lawyer and Rabbi